Feed-water heater



E. E. MERCKLE FEED WATER HEATER Filed July 5. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwmntov Dec. 6, 1927.

E. E. MERCKLE FEED WATER HEATER Filed July 5. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Patented Dec. 6,1927.

* UN T D ST E i EDWARD" ntmnncxnn, or B-Runswrex, ARYLA D;

FEED-WATER HEATER.

Application men ma 5, 1923:. serialjo. 649,765. 4

My invention relates to feed water heaters of the closed or non-contact type particularly adaptable for use in connection with.- locomotizvesp 1, v 6 I The principal teature o f the invention, generaliystated, is to provide a feed water heater located in the smokebox. of a locomotive and designed to receive exhaust steam which, together with theheat from the waste 10 gases,;prod1uces a relatively high and rapid rise in the temperatureof the feedwater preparatory to its introduction into the boiler.

Anobjeotof the invention is to produce a feed water heater for locomotivesin which l means is-provided for establishing commu nication between the exhaust nozzle and-the water heater wherebythe exhausting steam or aportion thereof is used to increase the temperature of the feed water, and subsequently returned to the exhaust nozzle for discharge t-hrough'the stack, said means being designed to permit the proper flow of the steamsoas not to interfere with the fire or otherwise impair the steaming qualities 5 of the locomotive.

The invention still further consists in the combination, arrangement and construction of the several parts hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the claims. Y

In the drawings in which I have illustrated two embodiments of my invention Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through the front end and smoke boxof a locomotive, showing my improved feed water heater applied thereto.

v Figure 2 is .a detail horizontal sectional view on the line QfQQO'f' Figure illustrating partly in section and partly in top plan the ported member or ,castingpwhlch estab 40 lishes eommunicationbetween the feed water heater 'and the e'xhaustnozzle. Figure i3 ,is. a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, vie-wedgin the direction of the arrows. r f 1 Figure 42," is; a vertical; longitudinalqsec tional view through a different type of locomotive, such as the Mallet compound, showing a slightly modified construction of feedwaterheater. Referring to thedrawi-ngs in whichsimilar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts in the several views, thenumerall designates generally, a locomotive and boiler, at the frontend ofwhich is; located the usual smoke box 2:. To the smoke box front ring '3 is connectedthe-sinoke: box front 4 in which latter isprovid ed the front end door 5, all in the usual manner.

M 1 improved feed waterheate -B is positioned in the extreme front portion of the smoke box extension, said-heater being insorted before the smoke box front is attached and suitably supported upon and bolted to Z brackets-7. Additionaloonnecting means such. as the U straps 8 are also used to firmly attach the heater to the locomotive.

The feed waterheater 6 is of hollow band; I

like iormationhnd comprises a relatively 'shallow annularly disposed waterchamber 9 for-med between the inner circumferentially arranged wall 10, the outer circumferentially disposed wall 11,- ,and the respective front and rear annularly arranged end walls l2 and 13. The end Walls 12 and 18 are preferably'forn ed from the integral flanges of.

the inner annular wall 10.. The outer annular wall 11 is alsopreferably formed with flanges 14, said flangeslbeing adapted to lie against the inner opposed faces of the re spective end walls andbe firmly connected thereto by means of the rivets 15 preferably closely spaced about the peripheral edges of the heater to insure a tight fit bet-ween adjacent parts and prevent anyleakage. The outer ,wall 11 is preferably made in two semi-circular sections, each of said sections" being formed with outwardly projecting flanges .16 adapted to fbe'abutted and connectedbyv the rivets 17, as best shown in F g V p p V The means used toi permittheflow of the exhaust steam through the water so as to obtain a maximum and rapid transferof the lieattherefroin to the water involves a plura-lity or series; of tubes 18, saidtubesioconpyinga proportional part of the interior o tthe water chamber '9 and being located in spaced and substantially concentric relation tlieretoso as to uniformly radiate the heat 7 from'the steam to all portions of the water circulating through the heater. The tubes are supported at their ends in a plate or saddle member 19, said member bein'gar ranged to extend across an opening 20 formed iin the lower portion ofthe inner annular wall The saddle member 19 is provided with depending flanges 21 adapted 'tofbe bolted, riveted or otherwise connected to the adjacent outside portions of the respective front and rear walls 12 and 13, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

The means for establishing communication between the tubes 18 of the feed water heaterand the exhaust nozzle comprises a ported unitary member or casting 22 adapted to receive the steam at or about the base 01' the nozzle connection where it would ordinarily join with the cylinder saddle and smoke box supporting casting, a portion of which latter is indiaited by the numeral 23 in Figure 1. y

The member 22 is provided with a steam entrance port or passageway 24 through which the exhaust steam flows into a chambered portion oi the member having communication with one end of the series of tubes 18. After passing from the chamber 25 and through the tubes, the steam enters the chamber 26 provided in the member 22, which chamber, as will be observed by reference to Figures 2 and 3, has eonin'mnication with the opposite ends of the tubes 18. Leading from the chamber 26 is an outlet port or passageway 27, said port communi eating with the upper open end 28 of the member 22 to which latter is connected the exhaust nozzle 29. Surrounding theopen discharge end 28 is a flange 30 having openings therein adapted to register with corresponding openings formed on the lower flange of the exhaust nozzle, cap bolts 31 being used to ellcct a firm connection of the member 22 and nozzle 29. The nozzle extension maintained at its proper height with respect to the stack so as to present an eli'ective jet of steam capable of inducing the proper drait, as will be understood.

The member or casting is divided horizontally by meansof the partition 33, said partition extending from the end wall 234 of the nozzle end of the casting to the inner portion oi the chambers 25 and 26, said partition also conforming to the offset character of the said casting, which offset tends to permit of a relatively free flow of the steam through the heater. 'The respective entrance and outlet ports 24 and 27 are vertically divided by the respective vertical walls or partitions35 and 36, said partitions being united at or about the inner portions of the respective chambers 25 and 26, and forming the single vertical partition 37 separating said chamber. The casting is provided with top, bottom and side alls suitably shaped to properly enclose the respective parts, said 'asting being preferably formed with an attaching flange 38 by means of which it is bolted or otherwise connected to the tube supporting plate 19, and another attaching flange 39 by means of which it is bolted to an adjacent flange provided on the cylinder saddle or smoke-box supporting member. The ports and passageways through the casting 22 are of a size and shape to permit the exhaust steam to freely llow therethrough and produce a strong jet through the stack, the utilization of all of the steam or av port-ion thereof in the feed water heater acting to materially reduce, it not eliminate altogether, the exhaust pressure which is present when the locomotive is operating at high speeds.

in operation the feed water :i'or theboiler is allowed to pass into the water compartwent 5) through the pipes 4.0 shownas located in the bottom of the heater. The steam passes into the lower portion of the casting from the exhaust-pipes of-the locomoth 'c cylinders and then through the port 24 and into the chamber 25 from which it enters the several tubes and flows directly therethrough into the chamber 26 i from which it is caused to pass through the outlet port 2? and into the exhaust nozzle 29. in its passage through the plurality of separate tubes in the water chamber 9 the heat is transferredto the waterwhichis circulated through the heater and discharged it passes to the boiler check for introduction into the boiler by the injectors. A safety valve 42 preferably provided inthe pipe ell for relieving excessive pressures.

The usual petticoat pipe and other appurtenances usually provided in the locomotive smoke box, are maintained substantially intact. 1t will also be observed that the water heater is located relatively far from the tube sheet and sutliciently removed to insure an appreciable absorbing of theheat values from the products of combustion without subjecting the heater to the direct and detrimental action oi the waste gases.

The modifiedconstruction of feed water heater shown in Figure 4 is particularly adaptable for locomotives of the Mallet compound type and comprises a band-like member 43 having an annular water chamber through which passes the steam conveying tubes. The means establishing communication between the tubes and the exhaust nozzle is of different construction, said. means ineludin a ported member 44, preferably cast, and adapted to rest upon the relatively flat base or floor 45 of the smoke box extension, such as is provided on some types of locomotives. The water heater is supported upon the ported member 44 in this form of construction with therespective steam entrance and discharge chambers, corresponding to the chambers 25 and 26 in the first embodiment, located upon the periphery of the band-like member 43. The. same generalarrangement of inlet and outlet ports are provided in the ported member 44., the numeral 46 indicating the steam inlet pas sageway and the numeral 47 designating the return or discharge passageway c0mmuniv ed to the heat from the steam eating with the nozzle 48. The steam passageways are arranged horizontally in the embodiment of the invention, as shown. The ported casting 44 is connected to the band-like member by means of an interposed saddle member 49, suitably ported and connected to the steam conveying tubes above it, in the same manner in which the saddle member 19 of the first embodiment is connected to the steam tubes below it, and

which forms a firm support for the heater.

The operationof this modified construction is similar to that of the first embodiment, the feed .water entering the water chamber throughthe pipe 50 and passing out through the pipe 51 after being subjectpassing through the tubes.

Suitable openings 52 may be providedin the horizontal partition dividing the inlet and outlet steam ports of the heater, said openings preferably being alined with the exhaust nozzle for permitting a portion of thesteam to pass therethrough without circulatingfthrough the heater and providing a jet of steam together with the returning steam capable of inducing the proper draft for the fire. It will also be obvious that the comparative few partscomprising the heater and its connections with the exhaust nozzle, make it possible to quickly disassemble the parts for purposes of inspection and repair.

A feed water heater constructedin accordance with the present invention provides for a considerable saving in the fuel con sumed. In addition, other advantages, such as reduced boiler trouble occurring in leaks and cracks, caused by expansion and contraction lncident to the quick changes. in

temperature are obtained.

It will also be observed that the relative steaming qualities ofthe boiler are enhanced in that the usual accumulation'of extraneous substances from the feed water upon the interior of the boiler, ismaterially reduced by the collecting of such substances and particles in the feed water heater,-thereby providing for the absorption of maximum; heat in the boiler. and also increasing the life of the fiues thereof. The shape and construction of the heater also lends itself to the construction of modern locomotives,

and the manufacturing costs and maintenance chargesincident thereto are comparatively small.

I claim:

l. Ina locomotive having a smoke box provided with a water heater having heat transfer means, an exhaust steam passageway lead ng intosald smoke box, an exhaust V steam nozzle posltionedabove said passage way, and a unitary member having com munication with the passageway, the heat transfer means of the water heater and the exhaust nozzle, said-member havinga partition wall dividing the latter into lower and upper passageways for conducting a portion of said exhaust steam to and from the heat transfer means, respectively, said partition having means permitting thepassage of a portion of the exhaust steam directly to the exhaust nozzle. J

u 2. In a locomotive having a smoke box provided wltha water heater havlng heat transfer means,an exhaust steam passageway leading into said smoke box, a unitary member having communication with the exhaust steam passageway and the heat trans- In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

EDWARD E. MERCKLE. 

